Under My Skin
by LadyDRoseSD
Summary: Arthur gets a tattoo and Merlin gets curious.


**Author:** LadyDRoseSD

**Title:** Under my skin.

**Pairing:** Arthur/Merlin

**Rating:** PG-13

**Summary:** Arthur gets a tattoo and Merlin gets curious.

**Warnings:** None

**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by the BBC and Shine TV. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Beta:** lippykid

**UNDER MY SKIN**

Merlin was in the library, finishing his English paper, when Gwaine appeared trough the wooden doors. It was seven in the morning and too soon in the day for Gwaine to be awake, but Merlin suspected the early morning had more to do with not having slept at all than to an early start. The smell of alcohol when Gwaine got closer confirmed his suspicions.

He knew everyone had gone partying to celebrate Arthur's birthday. He would have loved to go with them, but Mr. Pendragon had asked him, very politely, to re-write his paper because he i'hadn't gotten what the book they were working on was really about'/i, which Merlin thought was bullshit but he had smiled, left his office, and locked himself in the library to re-write what had taken him two weeks in twenty-four hours.

Uther Pendragon was their English teacher and the father of his best friend, and saying he hated Merlin was like saying Hitler was a bad man; a bloody underestimation.

He hated people who were beneath him, and Merlin was just a poor kid, too smart for his liking, who'd gotten a scholarship to the best school in the country. He hated magic users, and Merlin was the most powerful sorcerer the country had seen in a long time. That his own daughter was a magic user too didn't help Merlin's case, most of all because it had been Merlin who had told Morgana she was a sorceress, and that her nightmares weren't nightmares but the visions of a seer trying to escape the poison she was given every night to hold her powers. Uther was a bigot who hated homosexual people and, of course, Merlin was one of those too, and what was worse, he didn't even dare to hide it! Uther though that people like him should try to hide their abnormal sexual condition and do their things behind closed doors, if at all.

Merlin just hoped he never found out he was in love with his beloved son - he couldn't imagine what the man would do if he ever knew.

Merlin thanked God Arthur was his own man and had his own beliefs. Arthur Pendragon was great at everything he did, either in sports or academically, but he wasn't the typical jock or rich boy; he cared about everyone and fought for their rights, and all the kids in the school respected him for it. Still, Merlin thought he was a prat. Arthur treated him like Merlin was his manservant or something medieval like that, always telling him what to do; how, when and with who. Merlin often had to remind him he wasn't his dog or slave.

But, prat and all, Arthur was his best friend and he would have loved to be there with him on his birthday, which by the look on Gwaine's face had been a blast; another reason to hate Uther.

Gwaine sat beside him and ruffled his hair, _why did everyone think he was a dog?_ "Still with that thing?"

"Yeah, Gwaine, still with this thing." – Merlin put down the pencil and rubbed his eyes sleepily. "How was the party? Is everyone sleeping now?"

Gwaine burst out laughing, leaned against the table and held his head in his hand. "Oh man, it was brilliant. Arthur got so wasted he went into a parlour and got a tattoo. You should have been there, it was hilarious. We tried to stop him but the guy punched Leon. Leon, Merlin, Leon!"

"Oh God, tell me Morgana didn't let him do it." He could expect it from the boys but Morgana would never let her brother do something so stupid. The smile on Gwaine's lips told another story.

"What the hell did he get? Is it too ridiculous?" At least he wanted to know what to expect when Arthur showed it to him.

Gwaine's smile faded a little bit. "I don't know, he wouldn't let us see it. But he had the sketch in his pocket, so it couldn't be too shameful. Which is a pity; I would have loved to see his face when he woke up and saw a butterfly or something." His voice lowered as he spoke, until he was fast asleep.

Merlin got all his things together and ran to Arthur's room. He wanted to see what had Arthur had drawn on his skin. Merlin loved his skin; it was tan and smooth and perfect, and he just hoped the tattoo didn't ruin it.

When he went into the room, Arthur was lying face down on his bed, with just an arm and a leg under the cover. He crawled into bed with him and the movement woke Arthur up, who turned his head around to look at Merlin sleepily.

"You done with that paper?" His voice was low and his breath smelt like vodka, but it was warm and Merlin wished he was allowed to seek its warmth with his tongue, kiss him until they both fell asleep, tangled together in Arthur's bed.

"Gwaine said you got a tattoo." Arthur looked at him and turned his face around again, this time hiding his face under his pillow.

"Gwaine has a big mouth." Merlin smiled Arthur had blushed - he was embarrassed.

"Aren't you going to show me?"

Arthur got up and ran to his en suite with a whispered _no._

Merlin was left in Arthur's bed, looking at the bathroom door with confusion painted all over his face. He could let it be and let Arthur tell him in his own time, let the warmth of Arthur's body take him into a much needed sleep, but he wanted to know what was so important to him that he felt the need to mark his body. And why did it make him feel like he had to shy away from Merlin? Arthur knew he could trust him with everything. He did, Merlin was sure about it; Arthur had talked to him about his mother, and he had never talked to anyone about her before, so what could make him feel so nervous he felt he couldn't trust him with it?

He got up and went to the bathroom door. "Come on, Arthur, open up and show me."

"Go away, Merlin." He heard the sound of the water running and he could picture Arthur naked in all his glory, ready to shower, and once more he wished he could be there and share that with him.

"I'm not going anywhere until you show me."

"God, Merlin, can't you just let it be?" He had never been able to let things be, and he wasn't going to start now.

He walked back to the door and closed it magically, then he went to the bed and lay there to wait for Arthur to come out of the bathroom. He tried to stay awake but Arthur's smell and warmth lulled him into a very much needed sleep, and he only woke up when Arthur threw his towel at him.

"You, warlock, open the damn door." He was wearing his uniform and his wet hair fell rebelliously in his face; Merlin loved how young he looked. It was too long and soon Arthur would cut it to his usual length, but Merlin couldn't help but wonder how it would feel tangled between his fingers.

Merlin turned around and faced the wall; if Arthur didn't want to show him the tattoo, fine, but Merlin wasn't going to let him out of the room either. "No."

"No? What does that mean?"

Merlin groaned sleepily and burrowed into the bed. "No means no, dollop-head."

Arthur sighed and walked to the bed, nudged at Merlin for space and laid beside him, looking at the ceiling. Merlin turned around and looked at Arthur's profile. Neither one of them said a thing for a few minutes and when Merlin talked his voice was low, no more than a whisper, but he knew Arthur heard it. "Why don't you wanna show me?"

Arthur closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He turned his head and looked at Merlin for the longest time, and when he talked he almost didn't move his lips; it was like he was writing the words on Merlin's heart. "Cause it's about you."

Merlin held his breath and closed his eyes before asking again, and this time he would respect the answer. If Arthur didn't want him to see it – yet – Merlin would wait until he was ready. He could do that. "Can I see it?"

Arthur smiled and lifted his left hand. There was a bandage covering his wrist, and when he started to remove it Merlin's heartbeat sped out of control.

Right in front of him, on the wrist of his best friend in black ink, was his name in magic lettering. Merlin traced the delicates lines as carefully as he could to not hurt the tender - and still red - skin. "It's beautiful."

Arthur looked at his finger and smiled. "You're beautiful."

Merlin blushed and hid his face in Arthur's shoulder. He wanted to do something but he wasn't sure if Arthur would let him. He bit his lip, lifted his head, and looked at Arthur. "Can't I mark it?"

He saw Arthur's confused gaze and smiled. "I want to mark it with my magic. You marked yourself freely with a magic word, I just want to empower it."

"You want to make me magic?" The room was silent, and the orange morning light entering through Arthur's window made his skin glow like the Greek God he had always believed him to be. Merlin traced his chest with his long fingers and stopped over his heart.

"No. I can't make you magic. It doesn't work like that. I want… I want to bind the tattoo to me so every time you touch it you'll know where I am, and I will feel it and know you're thinking about me. I'll be able to know what you're feeling or thinking in that moment."

Arthur listened silently, and when Merlin finished he smiled and nodded, offering him his wrist. Merlin held it and guided it to his lips, leaving a faint kiss that warmed Arthur's whole body and then whispered the binding spell. Arthur felt like Merlin was getting inside his body by his wrist. Merlin held him down and kissed him shyly; it eased the pain or masked it, Arthur didn't really know, but he wanted more. He rolled around and pinned Merlin with his body and devoured his mouth.

When the pain finally ended Arthur didn't even notice, he was too preoccupied feeling Merlin's hot body move under him, and his tongue exploring Merlin's mouth with sweets licks that tasted like home.

Merlin laughed into the kiss and Arthur stopped to look at him. "What's so funny?"

"Your father is going to hate me forever. You can't let him see this until the year is over or he will suspend me for life."

Arthur laughed with all his body, his blond hair shining with the orange light. He looked at Merlin with peaceful, loving eyes and resumed what he had been doing, starting with Merlin's long neck. "Deal."

**Author's Note: This is a little something I did for merlin_muses. The prompt I chose was promt number 2.**

**As you all know, comments are very much appreciated! ^_^**


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